Utility valve access and performance evaluation method

ABSTRACT

A vacuum container having a vacuum producing means, mounted on a vehicle, a trailer, or skid mounted, with options chosen from an articulating boom, a water jetter system, a liquid pressure dissipating means, a valve actuator, and a drive motor for the valve actuator being either hydraulic, air, or electric powered, a global positioning system to determine and log the position of work, service or hardware, controls and measuring devices and de-chlorinator.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/584,441 filed 4 Sep. 2009 which is a continuation of the parent application Ser. No. 10/683,674 filed Oct. 14, 2003 and claims the benefits of the parent application Ser. No. 10/683,674 filed Oct. 14, 2003 which became U.S. Pat. No. 7,604,023.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Utility valves have historically been buried either on purpose of by silt from storms. Access to the valve was accomplished mechanically by a shovel and hand digging. A hand wrench or hand tool is used to open or close the valve. In the case of fire hydrants the valve was opened by hand, a fire hose attached and the water flow through the hose was released under pressure on the highway or yard, eroding and doing damage to an expensive fire truck that was driven to the hydrant to receive the water.

The present invention uses hydro vacuum excavation to access buried valves, a power head to actuate the valve and in the case of hydrants, a liquid pressure dissipater consisting of a plurality of baffles releases the discharged water with minimum pressure like rain onto the ground thus reducing erosion. A GPS documents physical location and measuring means document maintenance condition of the valve and characteristics of the utility. Controllers manage the interaction of the various functions of the invention. The system is mounted on a transportable means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to using a vacuum container having a vacuum producing means and vacuum hose to vacuum debris from around valves so that the valve stem or valve handle may be accessed in order to actuate the valve.

A pressure washer or water jetter may also accompany the vacuum system in order to dislodge and make vacuum able the debris around a valve or in a valve box. A power head such as a hydraulic motor, D.C. motor, air motor or air cylinder may be used to actuate a valve. A power boom arm may be used to locate the power head into position. Extensions may be used between the power head and the valve stem especially when a valve is located below ground level. Control means are needed to operate the forward and reverse rotation of the valve stem as well as power head positioning onto the valve stem. Metering and monitoring means are needed to document the opening, closing, and torque required to operate the valve, as well as utility flow volumes and characteristics. When large volumes or water are released under pressure such as in the testing of fire hydrants, a pressure dissipating means may be used to avoid water damage to the surrounding area without obstructing the flow from test valves.

The above-mentioned means function as a unit to accomplish a common objective, which is to access, actuate, and document location, flow rates, pressure, utility characteristics, and condition of utility valves.

The above-mentioned objectives are accomplished by the present invention by constructing a transportable unit consisting of a vacuum container system, a water pressure cleaning and jettering system, a power supply, a power head to actuate the valves, a pressure dissipating means and a hose to connect the valve to the pressure dissipating means along with a GPS locator system, performance documenting means and controls to operate the intersection of the above mentioned system. A de-chlorinator may be added so as to decontaminate water before it is released into a storm drain or onto the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an end view of a truck with a liquid pressure dissipater 95 mounted on a hitch 101 plugged into a receiver coupler 100 at the back bumper of a vehicle. A hitch stabilizer 102 secures the unit. A fire hose 93 attaches the liquid pressure dissipater 95 to a fire hydrant 94, which has been opened by a power head 85, which is supported by an articulating boom arm 86, which is mounted to the liquid pressure dissipater 95. A hydraulic power supply 104 powers the hydraulic drive motor 85. The hydraulic power supply 104 is battery operated and the battery is charged by the truck electrical system by way of the electrical plug in 103. A GPS 90 locates the physical position of the water hydrant. The baffles 99 in the liquid pressure dissipater 95 allow the water 97 to fall to the ground like rain. Controls 87 operate the drive motor 85 and measuring devices 88 record the torque & revolutions to open or close the valve.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a vacuum debris tank 12 having a filter housing 62 a hose reel 37 and a single rear door 18 access to the debris tank 12. A power plant 67 consists of a diesel or gas engine to power an air compressor 105, or 12-VDC generator for charging batteries and powering the control systems. A hydraulic power supply 83 may be direct engine driven, belt driven or 12-VDC battery powered. The hydraulic power supply 83 may have connections 84 to power tools and portable equipment. The hydraulic power supply 83 may also power the drive motor 85. The articulated boom arm 86 may also be hydraulically manipulated. A liquid pressure dissipater 95 is, shown mounted to the rear door 18 and liquid 2 is shown dropping to the ground. A hose storage area 96 is shown over the pressure dissipater 95. An articulated boom arm 86, which holds the valve actuator motor 85, is shown attached to the vacuum container filter housing 62. This boom arm 86 may also be used to support a vacuum hose. The boom may be powered by air pressure or hydraulic or linear actuator. An air reservoir 107, air hose 108 and air nozzle 109 are shown loosening debris 45 from a valve box 98. Vacuum hose 17 is shown vacuuming the debris 45 in to a vacuum tank 12. The vacuum producing means in this case is shown to be a compressed air venture vacuum source 106. The above system is skid mounted 64 so it can be mobilized by a skid steer, forklift, truck bed or other mobile vehicle.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 with the exception that the system is shown mounted on a truck bed secured by a gooseneck trailer coupler 63.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2 with the exception that the system is mounted on a trailer and vacuum hose 17 is shown vacuuming debris 45, which has been loosened by a water jetter, which consists of a water jet 40, a water hose 58, a jetter water pump 7, a water storage tank 8, and a hose reel 37. The above vacuum and jetter system cleans debris 45 from an in-ground casing 98 or valve box, which allows access to the buried valve 92 stem. A de-chlorinator 110 is also shown.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 2 with the exception that the system is shown mounted on a zero turn radius vehicle 31 having a powered vacuum boom 36. The power head 85 articulating boom 86, which may also be powered or manual with spring balancing is shown actuating a buried valve 92 by means of an extension rod 91.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 1 with the addition of a Trailer 31, a Hydraulic power supply 83 for operating hydraulic tools 84; a de-chlorinator 110 is also shown. The de-chlorinator removes chlorine before hydrant water is disposed on to the ground or storm drain. A tool box 111 may also have a workbench or workstation attached.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

It is the objective of this invention to provide a power head 85, which may consist of a hydraulically driven drive motor or a DC electric motor or AC electric motor or an air driven motor or cylinder to turn a valve stem in order to open or shut the valve 92 or hydrant 94.

The power head 85 may be articulated into place over the valve by the aid of an articulating boom arm, which may be manually moved with the aid of springs or it may be powered. Adapters and extension rods 91 assist in reaching and coupling the power head 85 to the valve stem of the valve 92 or hydrant 94. A Global Positioning System 90 may be used to document and transmit the date to a computer-mapping program. Measuring devices 88 may document and transmit to a computer program the torque required to open and close a valve, the number revolution to open and close the valve, the flow through the valve at full open, full closed, and values in between, as well as temperature, pressure and mechanical condition of the valve. In the case of fire hydrants 94, which are typically checked for full flow through a fire hose to atmosphere under pressure, a liquid pressure dissipater 95 (consisting of an outer shell, an open bottom, a fire hose connection and multiple baffles 99 to dissipate energy before releasing the water to the ground) is attached to the discharge of a fire hose 93, which has its supply end connected to a fire hydrant 94. This liquid pressure dissipater 95 drops the water to the ground like rain thus reducing erosion.

The above described means may be mounted on a plug in hitch 101 attachment to a vehicle hitch receiver 100 or it may be mounted on the bed of a truck, or skid mounted to be transported by a skid steer or forklift. The system may also be mounted on a trailer.

It is a further objective of the invention to access below ground utility valves, which often requires the removal of debris, gravel, or dirt before the valve stem is accessible to be opened or closed by a power head 85. With hard to turn valves the power head 85 will consist of an impact torque or pulsed torque to loosen frozen valves. Debris, gravel, or dirt 45 may be loosened by water pressure or air pressure to make it vacuum able. A vacuum container system vacuums an access to the valve stem 92. A valve box 98 can have silt vacuumed from it with a vacuum hose 17 attached to a vacuum debris tank 12, having a filter housing 62 and a vacuum producing means 11. Said vacuum producing means 11 may be generated by a compressed air venturi system or a mechanical vacuum pump blower.

# DEFINITION

-   -   2—Liquid     -   7—Liquid Transfer Pump     -   8—Container to hold dispensed liquids     -   11—Container to hold dispensed solids     -   12—Vacuum Container     -   17—Vacuum Conduit     -   18—End Door to Vacuum Container 12     -   31—Mobile Platform     -   36—Means to Mobilize Vacuum Conduit 17 with Attachment 32     -   37—Hose Reel     -   40—Water Jet     -   45—Debris     -   58—Jetter Hose     -   62—Filter Housing     -   63—Gooseneck Trailer Coupler     -   64—Skid and Lifting Receiver     -   65—Fill Pipe to Water Tank     -   67—Power Plant     -   75—Independent Hydraulic Drive Wheels     -   83—Hydraulic Power Supply     -   84—Hydraulic Tool and Equipment Connection     -   85—Hydraulic driven motor or electric driven motor     -   86—Articulating boom arm     -   87—Control system for drive motor     -   88—Revolution and/or counter torque for drive motor     -   90—GPS (Global Positioning System) to map location Of drive         motor operation such as the location of a valve to be opened or         closed or a core sample to be taken or a man hole location or         repair point location or bored hole location.     -   91—Adapters for the drive motor such as extensions to Reach and         connect to valve stems or augers     -   92—Valve with valve stem     -   93—Hose     -   94—Hydrant     -   95—Water pressure reducer-diffuser     -   96—Hose storage     -   98—In-ground casing to valve     -   99—Baffling to absorb energy and reduce water pressure     -   100—Hitch Receiver     -   101—Hitch Receiver plug in     -   102—Hitch Stabilizer means     -   103—Vehicle plug in power supply     -   104—Power Supply for drive motor     -   105—Air Compressor     -   106—Compressed Air Venture Vacuum Source     -   107—Air Reservoir     -   108—Air Hose     -   109—Air Nozzle     -   110—De-chlorinator     -   111—Tool Box with workbench top or workstation     -   112—Battery 

1. An apparatus for opening or closing an in ground utility valve and measuring means for determining a condition of said utility valve comprising: a mobile platform; a valve actuator wherein said valve actuator further comprises a drive motor means for rotating a valve stem of said utility valve; a support means for positioning said valve actuator relative to said utility valve; an attachment means for connecting said valve actuator to a valve stem of said utility valve; a controller means for controlling a rotation of said drive motor; a Global Positioning System (GPS) means for determining a location; and a measuring means for determining a torque required for rotating said valve stem.
 2. An apparatus for rotating a valve stem of an in ground utility valve, comprising: a support; a drive motor means for rotating a valve stem of said utility valve; a control means for controlling characteristics relative to a rotation of said valve stem; a measuring means for documenting a condition relative to said rotation of said valve stem; and a Global Positioning System (GPS) means for determining a location with respect to an operation of said drive motor.
 3. An apparatus for rotating a valve stem of an in ground utility valve, comprising: a support; a drive motor means for rotating a valve stem of said utility valve; a control means for controlling a function relative to a rotation of said valve stem; a measuring means for determining a condition relative to said rotation of said valve stem; and a Global Positioning System (GPS) means for determining a location with respect to an operation of said drive motor, wherein said determining of a location occurs during a rotation of said valve stem and said control means causes the location determining means to determine a location of said apparatus in response to a rotation of said rotation means.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a recording means for documenting said torque in combination with said location.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said GPS determines a location relative to said valve stem.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 2, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said utility valve.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a rotation counter means for counting a rotation of said valve stem.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said utility valve.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said utility valve onto a computer mapping program.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 2, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said utility valve onto a computer mapping program.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 3, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said utility valve onto a computer mapping program.
 12. An apparatus for testing a fire hydrant, comprising: a mobile platform; a valve actuator which comprises a drive motor means for rotating a valve stem of said fire hydrant; a support means for positioning said valve actuator relative to said fire hydrant; an attachment means for connecting said valve actuator to a valve stem of said fire hydrant; a controller means for controlling a rotation of said valve stem; a pressure dissipating means for dissipating pressure which further comprises a means for receiving and dispensing water from said fire hydrant; and a measuring means for detecting an effect of testing said fire hydrant on a utilities ability to flow volumes of water.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 12 and further comprising a measuring means for measuring at least one condition relative to said fire hydrant.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 12 and further comprising a measuring means for measuring water pressure, water flow, and or water temperature.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 12 and further comprising a recording means for documenting the performance of said test hydrant with respect to said utilities ability to flow volumes of water.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 12 and further comprising a de-chlorinator means for removing chlorine from water before said water is placed on to the ground or into a storm drain.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 12, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said fire hydrant.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 12, and further comprising a recording means for documenting at least one condition relative to said fire hydrant onto a computer mapping program. 